Monday, April 4, 2016

April 4th 2016

Conference was amazing!! We were at the church all three sessions on
Saturday, then at members homes on Sunday! I loved conference!
Beaver is a pretty small town, but our area is pretty big! Our ward
consist of around 180 people coming on a normal Sunday. We share the
ward with a set of sisters as well. My new comp, Elder Foster, is
good! I am really going to like the area! It seems like a really friendly
ward, with a lot of potential!! It is weird that I don't get to meet a
lot of the members until next week, but I met some at Priesthood! And
yeah, this will probably be my second to last area, it might even be
my last area, but I don't think so...
That's crazy that you had a wreck! I am so glad everyone is okay!!
What class does Meagan take for A hour?
Haha! April Fools day! Those were pretty funny!!! Porter and Dad are
creative!!! I was half expecting for something to happen to me... Haha
I know what you mean about the Ensign! This conference was really awesome!!!
Thanks so much for the memes!!! I love them!!!
I love you so much!! I hope that you have an amazingly extra super
week!!! You are the best!!!

Monday, March 28, 2016

P Day Fun

An Update - Last 7 Weeks

February 15th

I am doing good. I have seen the mission pull together a ton this past
week! I gave dad an update on how the sisters are doing!! This week
there will be four memorials for sister Wells, since the mission is
not able to all meet together. We have ours on Wednesday! That day is
going to be really long! But at the same time I am looking forward to
it!
Thanks for the cookies, they survive and tasted as great as ever!!
HAPPY BIRTHDAY AGAIN!!!
And you are going to do great as YWPres!!
I love that quote by President Uchtdorf!
Thanks so much for your prayers and support!! They are felt and much needed!!
I love you so much! I hope you have the best week ever!!
Love
Elder Pennington the younger
Oh and I am attaching a flier sent by a former PPM missionary. Our
mission is coming together like never before, Current and Past PPM
missionaries!!! PPM all the way!! I don't think that you would be able
to go but, I thought I would send the flier just in case, it explains
what it is for but if you have any questions, I probably don't have
the answers but you can ask anyway! ;) I love you!!

February 22nd

My week was good! The memorial Service for Sister Wells amazing! Not
many people came to ours, since she did not serve in either of the
stakes that went to ours, but the spirit was really strong there!!
We actually picked up a new investigator this week!! Her name is
Teresa!! She was a member referral from a Less active member family!!
She is pretty cool and we can't wait to continue to teach her!
Thanks so much for sending the peanut butter powder! You are the
best!! I can't wait to try the recipe!
Does Meagan still go to Mutual when Ballroom allows her to, as you
would take me to the beginning of Mutual and then run me out to
Ballroom (by the way, thank you so much for doing that!!!!!)? I am so
excited to hear how your calling goes!!! You are going to be
awesome!!!
Heidi is growing up way to much! It crazy thinking that she is going
into 7th grade!!
Yeah, I remember the days where you would sacrifice so much to help
me!! I love you so much Mom!! You truly are the best!!
You should make your trek flag with steelers colors, haha! Not because I
like the steelers, but because I know there will be people there who
don't like the steelers at all!! Haha! But for real, I will think
about some ideas for the flag!!
You are the best! I love you so much!!
Love
Elder Pennington the younger!!
 
February 29th

That sounds like a great combined activity!!! Even more awesome that
Parker was able to hand out a Book of Mormon!! I can't wait to see him
on a mission!!!
So we have one investigator, Teresa! We were actually able to set her
with a date this past week, so that is awesome!!! She is set for April
9th!! As for service, we have St. Vincent De Paul, but I will not be
going to it due to exchanges... We also were going to help someone in
the sister area clean their house, but the member is now out of town
for a funeral:(... As for a mission we are doing really well! All
three sisters are not 100 percent but they have seen great
improvement!!! Sister Young, the one with most injuries, is sitting up
and eating normal food!!! She still has internal injuries that are at
risk of becoming infected which would reverse her healing, but she is
doing absolutely amazing for what she has been through!! Sister
Faamaile was cleared for duty. Haha! She is now serving again! Sister
Douglas has to go home, due to the fact that her concussion was worse
than Sister Faamaile's and on top of that she has some broken ribs,
but she plans on coming back out as soon as she heals enough!!! The
sisters are doing great, even though there is a lot of ground to cover
for full recoveries, they are doing great!!! As for Sister Wells's
family they continue to be amazing examples as how Christ would
respond to the situation!!! Thank you so much for your prayers for all
those affected! They are much needed and much felt!
I miss those moments with you working on projects!!!! You taught me so
much, as you were willing to lose sleep for us!! Thanks so much for
all you do and have done for me!! I love you so much! You are amazing!
I hope that you have an amazing week!
Love
Elder Pennington the younger!!!

March 7th

That is awesome about your calling and starting to feel comfortable
with it! I can't wait to hear how things continue to go!!
Thanks for sharing Sadies Socks!! She continues to be an influence to many!

March 14th

First, day light savings time is horrible! Haha! JK, but for reals!
Haha! I love that picture and I can't wait until it applies to me
again! Haha
This week was good! Not extremely busy, but decent! We had a zone
conference that took all day on Tuesday and we had a meeting with the
stake president that took half of the day on sat! A meetings week! A
lot of driving! But hey, I am getting loads of practice! Haha!
Family History work!!! I can't wait to really do it again!!!!!
Teresa is doing good! She didn't come to church yesterday, but that is
because I don't think the LA's she is with were able to give her a
ride... But she did go to the relief society birthday party that was
on Saturday! It was really good to hear about that!!
As for a story I am going to have to think about that one! Haha!
I love you so much!! You are the best!! I hope that you have an amazing week!!!
Love
Elder Pennington the younger!!

March 21th

Haha, it is funny you should ask if there was snow... It has been
spring now for a week and a half, beautiful weather, but the last
three days it dipped back down to winter weather! So we had it snow
two more times, but nothing stuck because of how much heat is in the
roads from all the heat we have had recently!!
CONFERENCE!!!! I am so excited!! I am looking forward to it so much!!
I am lucky it is not the last one I have on my mission!!
Transfers are next week, they would have been this week if our
missions didn't add a week! But I am not complaining, I get to be out
officially 2 years, where as before I was shy of two years by a couple
of days!

...salted caramel cupcakes and raspberry lemon cupcakes... Hmmmmmm...
Someday I am going to have to try those...

It is crazy that Meagan's performance is this week! I can't wait to
see how she does!! Let me know if she is not very happy with how it
all turned out, but I can't imagine that happening! She is going to do
amazing!

Take pics at the Easter pageant if you end up going!!

As for this week, not too much is set in stone. We have some service
at Saint Vincent de Pauls. We are going on exchanges. We might being
helping a lady clean her house. We might be helping a family clean up
there yard. That would probably be all the service, but hopefully
more!! As for appointments, we have a few set up including with
Teresa! We taught her the word of wisdom! Funny story. So it had
already been brought up that she smokes... So commitment time comes...
"Are you willing to live the Word of Wisdom" (probably said in
different words but that's okay) "well, I almost never drink alcohol
or coffee or tea. And I don't do illegal drugs...." A little bit of a
pause... Than I say "well what about tobacco" she says "well, what
about it." Hahaha she doesn't quite have the greatest desire to quit
smoking, but she did commit to do so eventually. So that is what we
are going to be working with for right now! Haha! I love the stories
that come from being a missionary!

I love you so much! You are amazing!! I hope that you have a fantastic week!!

Love
Elder Pennington the younger!

March 28th

My week was good! We almost had an exchange for all week... Late
Monday to early Friday! That was not typical but it is a long story
and a little hard to explain! But it was a good week! I am being
transferred... To Beaver Valley! I don't have the address yet, but
will try and send it today! It came a little as a shock, since I have
been here a shorter period, but at the same time, I have been having a
feeling that I would be transferred.
Easter was good!!! We did have a member invite us over! They are the
LA's and investigator that we are teaching!!! Overall Easter was
pretty good! I wasn't prepared to say good bye though! That was a
little tough!!!
I love the picture of the before and after!!! That is the best!!!!
That is awesome that porter did well in his placement test! And that
dad sold a house!!!! And congrats on the plans for girls camp! How far
is that away?
It is good that Heidi is wanting a testimony for her self! I wish that
I sought for one that young! Even though she is growing up so fast,
she is still young!!!
I love you so much Mom!!!! Thanks so much for your example to me!!!
You truly have been a source of strength for me in my life! Thanks!!!
I love you!! I hope that you have an amazing week!!!
Love
Elder Pennington the younger!!


Wednesday, February 10, 2016

February 8th 2016


This week was pretty good! The weather has been decent. It has been
getting colder again, but a little slower this time. We are supposed
to be getting a little snow in the next couple of days, but not too
much. The winters here are sporadic, as in it could last until April,
or end at the end a February. And between it can go up and down and
up and down then sideways! But so far, I don't think it will be too much
more of a winter, besides the fact it still has yet to get really
cold.  I love the Doctrine of Christ!!
Oh and that is awesome about the lady who bore her testimony, I am
glad to hear that she is still doing well! I can't wait to meet her!!
You don't have to worry, because I am not being transferred! I will
probably be staying for two more transfers but we will find out in 7 weeks!!
I love the comic down below! Haha!

I love you so much!! I hope that you have an amazing week!! And I hope
that between all that is going down this week, that you enjoy your
birthday!! Thanks for everything that you do!!!

Love
Elder Pennington the younger!!

Monday, February 1, 2016

February 1st 2016

We were at a library and ran into a little bird!
This week was good, nothing really exciting happened. We have two
referrals that wanted us to come back so we are very hopeful there. We
haven't been able to teach them anything yet, so we don't know if they
are truly interested, but we will see! As for the Pennington's, we
have been unable to contact them. So the one address takes us to North
Carolina(even though it looks like a Pennsylvania address) and the
other we found out yesterday is incomplete. We looked at both
addresses yesterday and found out that, even though both show up on
the map, both have a faulty zip code, one doesn't have a house number,
the other doesn't have a legit city. We hope we can find them, but it
seems like they don't want to be found right now! :( as for transfers
I kinda want to get moved... I love it here but I am ready for a
change, even though I have only been here a little over a transfer.
Thanks for the update!! Everyone is growing up so fast!! Too fast!!
That is crazy how many people are getting ready to be married!! I
don't know what to think! Haha time goes way too fast!!
The weather here has been really good, at times! This last week, right
after the storm, It reach the 50's then dropped down to the 30's and
snowed a little more, and then yesterday is was in the 60's all day!
Pennsylvania weather is unpredictable, to say the least. I will
probably get sick when it drops again but it shouldn't be too bad, but
my bodies slow attempt to adjust! Haha!! As for driving in the snow I
have been able to do it a few times, luckily pretty soon after it
snows all the roads get plowed!
I love you so much!! You are amazing!! I hope that you have a great week!!
Love
Elder Pennington the younger!!

Monday, January 25, 2016

January 25, 2016

Driveway before shoveling
Driveway after shoveling
Back yard
Back yard
The weather was a little crazy, I am really glad we were not allowed
to drive in it! Haha! We did stay inside for the storm. Since the only
thing that would have been productive was to shovel snow, and that
kept on coming down, they had us stay in! We had enough food! Haha!
And I have been staying warm enough, not warm like Arizona, but warm
enough. Haha! Thanks for being worried, but everything is great here!
An about the bloody noses, it just didn't come out while I was
emailing you, haha! I wasn't trying to hide it. I haven't had once
since, so everything is good there! Not too much
happened this week. I have been feeling a ton better!!
It is funny to think that Porter is going to the singles ward! Haha!
I love that you so much Mom!! Thanks so much for the update!! I hope
you have an amazing week!!

Love
Elder Pennington the younger!!

Monday, January 18, 2016

Jan 18th 2016

I love you so much!! Sorry for keeping you up, the email made sense
so you didn't have to worry about that!! We had interviews with
President Johnson, a Double Baptism, blitzing the zone leaders area,
and zone training this week, so not too much time in our own area, but
it was still really good!! Next transfer will be Feb 9th. I have no
clue what is going to happen there...  And I have been feeling better!
Thanks so much for the package!! I got back from zone training feeling
exhausted and that was at our front door! I loved it! And the shirt
fits awesome!!
Haha! I can't believe that Dad did it that way, talking to the sisters
and then to Porter! He took my idea, changed it, then ran with it!
Haha!! He is one of a kind!! Haha!!
I love you so much MOM! I hope that you have an amazing week!! Thanks
again for the package!!
Love
Elder Pennington the younger!

Jan 11th 2016

My week was pretty good! Highlight of the week, probably exchanges! I
went to McKeesport. I just really like exchanges, learning from other
missionaries! Low point, I was sick on and off for the last few days
of the week...I hate being sick and I seem to be sick more often out
here than I ever was back home. The weather has been up and down. To
days ago it actually hit the 50's again, but then yesterday it was
raining and snowing all day! It is not supposed to be a very cold
winter, but for an Arizona boy, who's blood doesn't seem to be
thickening up at all, it is still really cold to me! But I am working
through it!
So I can explain why he was looking through the  cabinets! Haha! So
when you get to a new apartment, it is just natural to look around and
see the in inventory that the place has... He did that! Haha! He is
completely still in missionary mode! Haha! I love it! And that was a
perfect fortune cookie! Haha!
Thanks for everything that you do!! You are an amazing example! One of
the best ways to support me is to support the missionaries there!
Encourage them, help them, invite them into the home! (That might help
Porter get a little more comfortable talking to girls off his mission,
since there will not be much pressure since they are missionaries,
haha! Even though Porter will probably still feel pressure!) haha! But
thanks for all the support you do give me!!
I love you so much!! I hope that you have an amazing week!
Love
Elder Pennington forever and always the younger!

Monday, January 4, 2016

January 4th 2016

My week was pretty good! That is really cool that you went to the
visitor center and lights! That is one thing I miss very much, is the
temple lights!! And the temple in general!!
So when I get home, and if Meagan is not driving, I volunteer to drive
Meagan to her late night practices!! Haha!!
It sounds like a pretty awesome week!!!
This week we are working hard for a goal of 7 lessons, where our
typical is around 4, in this area. The zone leaders set a goal for the
whole zone. I am excited!! The weather is pretty good! Last week there
were a few days that were in the 60's which was really nice, but the
last few days have been in the 30's and it snowed for the first real
time this season!
Christmas time here things stayed very similar actually. To be honest
we did not even notice a change since it didn't even feel like
Christmas. This is not the easiest area to begin with, so I don't know
if that had any effect, but Christmas time did not seem to change
anything! People did accept our pass along cards more, but they still
did not want to talk to us for very long! Haha!
I love you so much mom!! You are the best! I hope that you have an
amazing week!!!
Love
Elder Pennington the younger!

December 28th 2015

It really was great to see you on Christmas!!
So how big will your class be if they don't call another teacher? Are
you still in the same room that you we were in when I was there?
Thanks for the update on Gavin, Gagan and Chelsea! Let me know if
Gavin starts talking about a girl! Haha! That is so awesome that
Meagan and some friends are doing baptisms! I miss the Gilbert temple
so much!! I miss the temple so much in general!!
Haha, can't wait to see pictures of Heidi's shoes!!
That is one really big thing that I wish we were able to participate
in more on the mission! Not only is it a maximum of once every six
months, but they change it back to having to be within 2 hours instead
of 3. I am grateful for that small amount of time where it was 3 hours
since I was able to go, but I still wish it was still 3 hours... We
are 3 hours away... :(
I love you so much!! I hope that you have an amazing week!!
Love
Elder Pennington the younger!

December 21st 2015

Hey!!! I love you!!!
So you should tell the girls to stop growing up!! I miss them!! I miss
all of you so much!!! Can't wait to see you on Friday!!
I don't like the cold..... It is just in the 20's and 30's but I am
super cold already!! It has only snowed once and it really was not all
that bad! Actually a week ago, you were colder than we were here!
Surprisingly! But now we continue to drop!!
I am not looking forward to driving in the snow too much, but we have
been told time and time again that our safety is paramount, so we are
not allowed to drive when it is a really bad storm, or if the roads
are really bad, so you don't have to worry about me too much!!
I love you so much!! I hope that you have an amazing week! I told dad
some times that would work here to skype, so just let me know!! I love
you so much and can't wait to see you!!

Love
Elder Pennington the younger